Blest Are the Humble Souls That See
Isaac Watts
(1674-1748)

The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12)
The Words of the King James Bible and Isaac Watts Presented in Parallel

Verse

What Saith the Scripture?

What Singeth the Poet?

3

 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blest are the humble souls that see
Their emptiness and poverty;
Treasures of grace to them are giv’n,
And crowns of joy laid up in heav’n.

4

 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Bless’d are the men of broken heart,
Who mourn for sin with inward smart;
The blood of Christ divinely flows,
A healing balm for all their woes.

5

 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Bless’d are the meek, who stand afar
From rage and passion, noise and war;
God will secure their happy state,
And plead their cause against the great.

6

 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Bless’d are the souls that thirst for grace,
Hunger and long for righteousness;
They shall be well supply’d, and fed
With living streams and living bread.

7

 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Bless’d are the men whose bowels move
And melt with sympathy and love;
From Christ the Lord shall they obtain
Like sympathy and love again.

8

 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Bless’d are the pure,
whose hearts are clean
From the defiling pow’r of sin;
With endless pleasure they shall see
A God of spotless purity.

9

 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Bless’d are the men of peaceful life,
Who quench the coals of growing strife;
They shall be call’d the heirs of bliss,
The sons of God, the God of peace.

10,
11,
12.

 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and per­se­cute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you false­ly, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Bless’d are the suff’rers who partake
Of pain and shame for Jesus’ sake.
Their souls shall triumph in the Lord;
Glory and joy are their reward.

[Note: This hymn was originally #102 in Book I of Watts’
Hymns and Spiritual Songs in Three Books.
I have taken the words from my personal copy
of an 1826 edition printed in Concord, New Hampshire, USA.]

 

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